put userform on top, allow user to hide it - vba

Question

I have an excel vba application that runs a separate process. During the external process a progress indicator with abort button is initialized. It is crucial for the end users that the abort button is available. It is also usefull to see the external process running.
I would like to have the progress indicator/abort button placed on top of the external process. but I do NOT wont to force the userform on top of everything.
I have tried to use findwindow / setwindowpos, resulting in the following problems:
If I initialize HWND_TOPMOST before running the process, then the userform is always on top, regardless of what the user wants. I find this very annoying, especially if some sort of errors occur where the debuging window might be blocked by the inactive vba userform. However the workbook remains in the background which is desired.
If I use HWND_TOP (after the external process is up and running) then the entire workbook is activated (not just the userform), which then hides to progress of the external application. Not very benificial compared to activating the workbook.
Are there any suggestions on how to put the userform in front of the external applicaiton, while still allowing the user to deactivate it?
code snippets:
Option Explicit
' Code stolen with pride from various sources.
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function BringWindowToTop Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" ( _
ByVal hwnd As Long, _
ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, _
ByVal X As Long, _
ByVal Y As Long, _
ByVal cx As Long, _
ByVal cy As Long, _
ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
Public Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Public Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Public Const HWND_TOP = 0
Public Const HWND_BOTTOM = 1
Public Const HWND_TOPMOST = -1
Public Const HWND_NOTOPMOST = -2
Public id As Integer
Public ProgressForm As fProgress
' Main routine, launch application and progress indicator.
Sub LoadForm()
Set ProgressForm = New fProgress
ProgressForm.Show
' Force userform to front, makes it on top but does not allow reorder of windows.
ForceToFront ProgressForm
' Run external process, notepad used for example.
id = Shell("notepad", vbNormalFocus)
End Sub
' Routine to bring userform to front after the external program is up and running.
Sub TestBringToFront()
BringToFront ProgressForm
End Sub
Sub BringToFront(fm As fProgress)
Dim hwnd As Long, ret As Variant
hwnd = FindWindow("ThunderDFrame", fm.Caption)
ret = SetWindowPos(hwnd, HWND_TOP, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE)
End Sub
Sub ForceToFront(fm As fProgress)
Dim hwnd As Long, ret As Variant
hwnd = FindWindow("ThunderDFrame", fm.Caption)
ret = SetWindowPos(hwnd, HWND_TOPMOST, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE)
End Sub

Answer 1

Unfortunately this is the designated behaviour of windows and applications. However, I can suggest some workarounds:
Use TOPMOST option and make the userform clickable, e.g. capture the ProgressForm_Click and toggle between TOPMOST and NOTOPMOST state. ALternatively use can employ an "Always On Top" checkbox on ProgressForm like it is in the Task Manager.
Use TOP option and resize the workbook window behind to as small as possible, or even move aside (out of the screen), and restore size and position after the external app finished.
It may be worthy making a try with ProgressForm.Show(vbModeless) and TOP